Nashville, which owns the NHL's second worst power play, went 0-for-2. Colorado, fifth from the bottom, was 0-for-4.

The Predators failed to convert on their two power plays in a scoreless first period. Jordin Tootoo had Nashville's best scoring chance, a short-handed breakaway, but his shot from the slot was easily smothered by Budaj.

"That's the third game in a row where we did all the right things, played at a high energy level and walk away with a loss," Nashville coach Barry Trotz said. "We are ringing posts, missing wide-open nets and have nothing to show for it."

Stastny put the Avalanche ahead 1-0 with a one timer from the slot that got past Mason's glove at 4:06 of the second period. Stastny's 14th of the season was set up by Ryan Smyth's pass from the boards and came on Colorado's sixth shot of the game.

"It was a nice play by Smitty to look me off the first time I got open, and faked the slapper," Stastny said. "Then, he threw it across to me, and it froze Mason a little bit, so I just put it into the top of the net."

Svatos made it 2-0 at 14:50 of the period, on a rebound of his own shot for his 10th goal.

Gelinas sent a backhander under Budaj's glove at 15:43 of the second period for Nashville to make it 2-1. Budaj had stopped shots by Marek Zidlicky and Scott Nichol.

"We're squeezing our sticks too tightly," Tootoo said. "Sooner or later the goals have to come. Our shots have to start going into the net."

The Avalanche nearly scored early in the third period when Mason deflected a shot by Cody McCormick off the right post.

Leopold got the puck past Mason with a slap shot from the right circle at 10:53 to give Colorado a 3-1 lead. The Avalanche had a six-on-five skating advantage due to a delayed penalty on Nichol.

Notes: Nashville's RW Martin (neck strain) will rejoin the team in Minnesota on Monday. ... The start of the game was delayed briefly by a malfunctioning goal light. ... Avalanche captain Joe Sakic missed his eighth straight game due to a groin injury. ... D John-Michael Liles limped off the ice late in the first period, but returned in the second.